The present invention relates to a humidifier device for humidifying a fluid in a fuel cell system of a motor vehicle, with a housing, in which is arranged at least one membrane, and with a bypass channel for bypassing the at least one membrane.
These humidifier devices are already known in the state of the art. DE 102 32 757 A1 discloses a humidifier device which serves for humidifying a gas flow to be humidified, which is provided for a fuel cell system. A humid exhaust gas from the fuel cell system is thereby used for humidifying. A membrane is arranged in the humidifier device, which is only permeable to water vapor. This known humidifier device further provides a bypass channel, through which the gas flow can partially be guided around the membrane. The dew point in the gas flow to be humidified can thereby be adjusted freely.
The present invention is directed to the design or the construction of the humidifier device with regard to an arrangement thereof in an installation space available in a motor vehicle, and with regard to an increase of an effective volume of the humidifier device. The effective volume is presently meant to be a volume which is used for the actual function of the humidifier device, that is, for the humidification of the fluid.
A humidifier device known in the state of the art is shown in FIG. 1. The known humidifier device 1 comprises a housing 2, which consists of two housing parts 2a, 2b. A humidifying unit 3 is arranged between the housing parts 2a, 2b, which has at least one membrane, which is only permeable to water vapor as known. In the known humidifier device 1, the humidifying unit 3 is formed by two cartridges 3a, 3b arranged adjacent to one another, which respectively have at least one membrane.
FIG. 1 also shows an installation space 4 for the humidifier unit 1 available in the motor vehicle. The volume of the two cartridges 3a, 3b represents the effective volume of the humidifier device 1. As shown in FIG. 1, spacings result in the available installation space 4 by using cartridges 3a, 3b with a circular cross-section. Due to the spacings resulting from the design of the humidifier unit 3, the available installation space 4 is not used in an optimal manner for the actual function of the humidifier device 1, that is, for the humidification of the fluid, so that a small effective volume results. The effective volume is 4.5 l in the humidifier device 1 shown in FIG. 1.
The known humidifier device 1 further comprises a bypass channel 5 for bypassing the membrane arranged in the humidifier unit 3. It is achieved by means of the bypass channel 5, that the humidity degree of the fluid to be humidified and the dew point thereof can be adjusted arbitrarily. As shown in FIG. 1, the bypass channel 5 having a circular cross-section is guided around the housing 2 of the humidifier device 1. A disadvantage of a suboptimal use of the available installation space 4 is also present here, so that a large effective cartridge volume cannot be achieved.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a humidifier device for humidifying a fluid, where an installation space available for the humidifier unit is used in a better manner for humidifying the fluid. This is achieved by a humidifier device for humidifying a fluid in a fuel cell system of a motor vehicle, the humidifier device comprising a housing with a bypass channel and at least one membrane arranged in the housing, the bypass channel bypassing the at least one membrane, wherein the bypass channel has a non-circular cross-section. The humidifier device can have an angular, rectangular cross-section bypass channel. The bypass channel can be integrated in the housing. The bypass channel can be guided around and abutting the housing. A control element can be arranged in the bypass channel for changing a cross-section of the bypass channel. The control element can be a throttle valve. The control element can be drivable by an actuator that is arranged at or in the housing. The housing can comprise two housing parts, and a single cartridge is arranged between the two housing parts, in which the at least one membrane is integrated. The single cartridge can have a non-circular cross-section. The single cartridge can have an angular, rectangular cross-section. The single cartridge can have a cross-section adapted to a cross section of the two housing parts.
A humidifier device according to the invention is formed for humidifying a fluid in a fuel cell system of a motor vehicle. The humidifier device comprises a housing, in which is arranged at least one membrane. The humidifier device further comprises a bypass channel in a bypass channel for bypassing the at least one membrane. It is provided according to the invention that the bypass channel has a non-circular cross-section. As “cross-section” should be understood as an outer cross-section or an outer contour of a cross-section profile.
A better use of the installation space available for the humidifier device in the motor vehicle is achieved by the humidifier device according to the invention in an advantageous manner, wherein the effective volume of the humidifier device can be increased.
It has been shown to be especially advantageous that the bypass channel has an angular, especially rectangular cross-section. It is especially provided that the bypass channel is formed in the shape of a flat channel integrated in the housing of the humidifier unit. The bypass channel is further preferably arranged in an abutting manner to an inner wall of the housing. If the housing of the humidifier device is cuboidal, a total surface of an inner wall of the housing especially represents an inner wall of the bypass channel. Especially by the use of a flat bypass channel, which extends along an inner wall of the housing, the available installation space is used in a better manner, so that a larger volume for the at least one membrane can be provided.
It can alternatively be provided that the bypass channel is guided around and abutting the housing.
In a preferred manner, a control element for changing a cross-section of the bypass channel which can be flown through is arranged in the bypass channel. The control element is preferably formed as a throttle valve and can preferably be driven by means of an actuator, which is arranged at and/or in the housing. By the use of a control element formed for changing the cross-section of the bypass channel which can be flown through, a humidity degree of the fluid to be humidified and a dew point thereof can be adjusted freely. Using a throttle valve, the change of the cross-section of the bypass channel which can be flown through is further enabled in a technically simple manner. In this embodiment, it can further be provided that the control element is arranged in a connection part or connection region arranged at the housing and comprising a section of the bypass channel. The actuator can be an electric, a pneumatic, or a hydraulic actuator.
It is provided in a preferred embodiment, that the housing comprises two housing parts, and that a cartridge is arranged between the housing parts, in which the at least one membrane is integrated. By using a single cartridge, an installation space available in the motor vehicle for the humidifier device can be used in a better manner—than is the case in the state of the art—with regard to an increase of the effective volume of the humidifier device. In this embodiment it has shown to be particularly advantageous that the single cartridge, in which is arranged the at least one membrane, has a non-circular cross-section, preferably an angular, especially preferred a rectangular cross-section. The single cartridge particularly has a cross-section adapted to a cross-section of the two housing parts. It is achieved hereby that spacings which reduce the effective volume do not result between the cartridge and the two housing parts.